Khaleda Zia, who made history as Bangladesh’s first female prime minister and shaped the country’s politics for decades, died on Tuesday after a long illness, her party said.
Zia, 80, had advanced cirrhosis of the liver, arthritis, diabetes, chest and heart problems, his doctors said.
A post on the party’s Facebook read: “BNP chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia passed away today at 6am, just after Fajr (dawn prayer). […] We seek the forgiveness of his soul and we all pray for his departed soul.”
Despite years of poor health and imprisonment, Zia vowed in November to campaign in elections scheduled for February 2026, the first elections since a mass uprising toppled archrival Sheikh Hasina last year.
Zia’s BNP is widely considered the favourite.
But in late November she was rushed to hospital, where, despite doctors’ best efforts, her condition worsened due to a series of health problems.
During her final days, interim leader Muhammad Yunus asked the nation to pray for Zia, calling her “a source of ultimate inspiration for the nation.”
BNP press chief Moudud Alamgir Pavel also confirmed Zia’s death. AFP.
Zia was jailed for corruption in 2018 under the Hasina government, which also prevented her from traveling abroad for medical treatment.
She was released last year, shortly after Hasina was ousted from power.
Earlier this month there were plans to fly her by special air ambulance to London, but her condition was not stable enough.
His son, political heavyweight Tarique Rahman, only returned to Bangladesh after 17 years of self-imposed exile on Thursday, where he was greeted by large crowds of joyful supporters.
Rahman will lead the party until the general election on February 12 and is expected to be nominated as prime minister if his party wins a majority.
